Green Curry

Allergens at a glance

• UsuallyCrustaceansShrimp paste (kapi) is pounded into the curry paste.
• UsuallyFishFish sauce seasons the curry; fish balls in some versions.
• SometimesSoyTofu or soy sauce in vegetarian versions.
• SometimesGlutenSoy sauce, used in place of fish sauce in vegetarian versions, usually contains wheat.

Usually in the standard recipe. Often in many versions. Sometimes in some kitchens, or a cross-contact risk.

Diets

• Not vegetarian as standard: shrimp paste is in the paste itself, not just the seasoning.
• A vegetarian version needs a shrimp-free paste, not just tofu instead of chicken.
• Dairy-free by recipe: the creaminess is coconut milk, not cream.

Recipes change from kitchen to kitchen. If you have an allergy, confirm every ingredient with the restaurant before you order.

What is green curry?

Green curry is a fragrant, fairly hot Thai curry of coconut milk and a fresh green chilli paste, cooked with chicken, beef or fish balls and finished with Thai basil. The Thai name, kaeng khiao wan, means "sweet green curry": the sweet refers to the green colour (a soft, pale green), not to sugar, although many restaurants abroad do make it sweet.

What's in it

• Curry paste: fresh green chillies, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, coriander root, shallot, garlic, cumin and coriander seed, white pepper, salt and shrimp paste
• Coconut milk and coconut cream, cooked until the oil separates
• Chicken, beef, pork or fish balls
• Thai aubergine (eggplant), pea aubergines and sometimes bamboo shoots
• Fish sauce, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves and Thai sweet basil

It's eaten with jasmine rice or with khanom chin, soft fermented rice noodles. Some places serve it with roti, which is wheat.

Allergens and diets

The allergen most people miss is crustaceans. Shrimp paste (kapi) goes into the curry paste itself, so swapping chicken for tofu doesn't make it shellfish-free or vegetarian. Most commercial green curry pastes include it too. Fish sauce adds fish, and fish ball versions add more.

There's no dairy in the traditional recipe. The richness is coconut, which isn't one of the regulated allergens but is a real allergy for some people; if you react to coconut, this dish is built on it.

Vegetarian green curry needs a shrimp-free paste and soy sauce or salt in place of fish sauce. That swap brings in soy, and soy sauce usually contains wheat, which matters for coeliac (celiac) diners. Ask whether the kitchen makes its paste or uses a jar, and if it's a jar, ask to see the label.

On the menu

Menus abroad often just say "green curry" with a choice of protein. In Thailand it's ordered as one dish to share among several at the table.

Last checked 1 November 2026. Spotted something wrong? Email support@inventum.com.au.